Adjustable bulldozer blade



31, 1954 M. w. DICKINSON 2,687,586

ADJUSTABLE BULLDOZER BLADE Filed June 28, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.1

Manly W Dickinson INVENTOR.

Aug. 31, 1954 M. W. DICKINSON ADJUSTABLE BULLDOZER BLADE Filed June 28. 1950 msssune' nsrumv 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 as Q;

Anamep 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 28, 1950 m, QSg R. 45 m m p .m E V QN\ m ms 8 8 $9.. w .wv W W fl 0Q m9 0 m9 9 M Y i-l, m9 B H- WAG I I m \I \I \I L Patented Aug. 31, 1954 UNEEED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

ihis invention relates generally to bulldozers and more particularly to means for mounting and shifting the blade of a bulldozer.

A primary object of this invention is to provide means whereby the blade of a bulldozer can be quickly and easily altered as to the angle thereof relative to the bulldozer and as to the elevation of the blade, it being understood that the blade will ordinarily be locked in position after such adjustment. The adjustment can be made in a few seconds and the locking is also easily accomplished.

When the blade is not locked, it is possible with this improved construction to lower either end of the blade sufiiciently to cause a corner or" the blade to dig in to a greater degree, thus facilitating grading operations.

Another object of this invention is to provide means for mounting and controlling the blade w ch makes it very improbable that the bulldczer will ever become stuck.

another object of this invention is to provide a construction allowing the operator to reverse blade setting or otherwise change the blade setting so the operator can work on either side of the bulldozer without stopping and losing time in changing the blade setting. It will be understood that the blade is locked in position oniy for very rough work, such as digging rocks.

A last object to be mentioned specifically is to provide a bulldozer construction of the character mentioned above, which will be relatively inexpensive and practicable to manufacture, which will be safe as well as economical and convenient to operate, and which will give generally eificient and durable service.

With these objects definitely in view, this invention resides in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of elements and portions as will be hereinafter described in detail in the specification, particularly pointed out in the appended claims, and illusin the accompanying drawings which form a material part of this application, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of this invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of this invention indicated in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view, in perspective, of one of the links used to connect the slide with the blade;

Figure i is a view of one arm of the modified arched frame shown in Figures 1 and 2, a portion thereof being broken away and the under- 2 lying portion being shown in horizontal section and in plan, and the view being enlarged to amplify' the disclosure of this portion of the invention;

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view of the hydraulic system showing how the various pistons are simultaneously operated to cause reverse motion in opposite portions of the blade;

Figure '3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially upon the line 2'l2 in Figure 4; and

Figure 7 is a view, on reduced scale, of a modified form of this invention, wherein ahollow arm with a cylinder therein is rigidly mounted upon the sides of an arched ira-liie conventionally rovided on a bulldozer, this figure being fragtary and showing all the parts in plan. ini'iar characters of reference designate lar or identical elements and portions roughout the specification and throughout the rent views in the drawings.

Referringnow to the drawings in detail, this improved bulldozer will include a tractor preferably of the crawler type as generally indicated by the numeral it, the treads being indicated at 52-.

An arched frame it is directly secured to rear portions of th frame of the caterpillar tractor by means of large headed members I02. The forward end of each arm of this arched frame it is provided with an aperture which is covered with a closure plate I 04, to allow insertion of the cylinders 06. These cylinders are cperatively connected by flexible tubes 46 extending through tube shields 42 for connection to the valves i i in a valve assembly illustrated in Figure 5 and are secured pivotally to rear end portions of the arms of the arched frame by pivot pins 588. The cylinders may have single or telescoping pistons, the latter type being indicated at H6, H2 and I It, the last-mentioned element being considered the piston rod, and this piston rod is, in each case, pivotally connected on a slide Ht, by means of a wrist pin H3, as best illustrated in Figure 4. Each slide H6 has an extending portion 428 to which a link I22 is secured. This link i 22 is best illustrated in Figure 3 and is comprised of an upper bar In, a lower bar I26 inclined toward and connected to a swivel joint I28 which coacts with a pivot pin itt to connect the link I22 to the extending portion 120 of the slide. A brace l32 extends between the arms I2 3 and H26. An important element in this invention is the slot i3 3 extending longitudinally of each of the arms of the arched frame I00, this slot allowing the extending portion I20 to slide along the arm of the arched frame I00 in response to actuation of the cylinders I06. A plurality of ears I36 are provided on the sides of the slots I34 and the extending portion I20 is provided with an aperture I31 so that a pin I38 can be dropped through the ears I36 and the aperture I31 to lock the slide after adjustment, for rough work.

Eye bolts I40 are screwed into forward end portions of the arms I24 and I26 and these eye bolts are connected by means of pins I42 with ears I44 on the rear side of a blade indicated at I46.

The forward end of the arched frame I00 with the blade I46 can be raised or lowered by means of hydraulic cylinders 86 pivotally secured as indicated at 88 upon the frame standards 90 or any other suitable portion of the caterpillar tractor I0. The cylinders are arranged in opposing relation on opposite sides of the tractor I0 and the pistons 92 are terminally and pivotally secured to the ears 94. A reinforcing brace 06 is used to strengthen the forward end portion of the arched frame. By selective use of these cylinders 86, either end of the blade can be lowered below the other end and the blade can be lifted and lowered with or without this tilting action, in order to facilitate grading operations. The connecting means for the arched frame allows limited pivotal action of this arched frame, due to the loose fitted pins I02, this limited tilting being sufiicient to cause either end of the blade to dig in the earth considerably deeper than the opposite end when this is desired.

In the modified form of this invention, indicated in Figure '7, conventional arched frames such as that indicated at 200 may be used, these arched frames being connected according to conventional practice as indicated at 202. On the side of such an arched frame 200 a hollow elongated arm 204 is welded or otherwise rigidly secured, this arm being slotted similarly to the arms of the arched frame I00 and a slide having an extending portion 206 will be used therewith. The link means 208 will correspond generally with the link I22 and apertured ears 2I0 will be provided on the sides of the arm 204. The slide used in this embodiment will be inserted from the front end of the arm and a flat going description of the mechanical details thereof, taken with the above recited objects and the drawings. Further description would appear unnecessary. Variation in form may be made within the scope of this invention as defined in the claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new 151 1. In a bulldozer, a U-shaped arched frame having parallel hollow arms, hydraulic cylinders operatively mounted in said arms and having pistons, slides longitudinally slidably mounted in said arms and connected to said pistons, a bull dozer blade centrally pivoted on said arched frame, links operatively connecting laterally opposed portions of the blade to said slides, movement of said pistons serving to angularly adjust said blade, said arms having longitudinal slots and said slides having portions extending through said slots and connected to said links, lugs on said arms adjacent said slots, and said extending portions of said slides and said lugs having pin receiving apertures and pins inserted through said apertures in the extending portions and selectively through said apertures in certain ones of the lugs to lock the slides after adjustment of the blade.

2. In a bulldozer, a U-shaped arched frame having parallel hollow arms, hydraulic cylinders operatively mounted in said arms and having pistons, slides longitudinally slidably mounted in said arms and connected to said pistons, a bulldozer blade centrally pivoted on said arched frame, links operatively connecting laterally opposed portions of the blade to said slides, movement of said pistons serving to angularly adjust said blade, said arms having longitudinal slots and said slides having portions extending through said slots and connected to said links, lugs on said arms adjacent said slots, means selectively interconnecting said extending portions of said slides and certain ones of said lugs to lock the slides after adjustment of the blade.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,075,482 Thorpe Mar. 30, 1937 2,169,606 Hutchins et al Aug. 15, 1939 2,171,792 Hutchins Sept. 5, 1939 2,198,147 Austin Apr. 23, 1940 2,485,40 Peterson Oct. 18, 1949 

